Portrait device and method of making the same

ABSTRACT

THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES A PORTRAIT INDICIA FOR SECUREMENT TO INTERMENT MARKERS SUCH AS CEMETERY MARKERS, TOMBSTONES, AND SO FORTH. THE PORTRAIT DEVICE OF THE INVENTION INCLUDES A TRANSPARENT, ULTRAVIOLET-FILTER FACE, IS OF A PLASTIC SANDWICH CONSTRUCTION, AND IN A PREFERRED FORM OF THE INVENTION IS HERMETICALLY SEALED THROUGH A THERMOSEALING METHOD STEP APPLIED TO THE PERIPHERY OF THE DEVICE. BACKING THE PORTRAIT INCLUDED IN THE DEVICE IS A BACKGROUND LAYER HAVING A COLOR, CONTRASTING WITH THE PORTRAIT, TO GIVE A BACKGROUND TO THE PORTRAIT OF THE PERSON REPRESENTED. THE INCAPSULATED SANDWICH STRUCTURE IS SEALED TO THE INTERMENT MARKER OR STONE BY MEANS OF A SILICONE ADHESIVE, THE LATTER HAVING A CHARACTERISTIC OF SERVING BOTH AS A SEALING AGENT AND ALSO A RESILIENT BONDING AGENT.

March 16, 1971 TRANSMITTANCE, PERCENT N A d? O O O R- H. BURGENER, JR.,L

PORTRAIT DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 21, 1968LTRAw'oLET VIi-IIBLE VIOLET BLUE VJOLE WAVELENGTH, MILLIMICRONS FIG. 4

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INVENTOR3 ROBERT H. BURGENER R NEWELL J. STEWART THEIR ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,570,159 PORTRAIT DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAMERobert Hugh Burgener, Jr., Salt Lake City, and Newell J. Stewart,Venice, Utah, assignors to Memorial Photo Service, Inc., Richfield, UtahFiled Aug. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 754,288 Int. Cl. G09f 19/00 US. Cl.40--135 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present inventioncomprises a portrait indicia for securement to interment markers such ascemetery markers, tombstones, and so forth. The portrait device of theinvention includes a transparent, ultraviolet-filter face, is of aplastic sandwich construction, and in a preferred form of the inventionis hermetically sealed through a thermosealing method step applied tothe periphery of the device. Backing the portrait included in the deviceis a background layer having a color, contrasting with the portrait, togive a background to the portrait of the person represented. Theincapsulated sandwich structure is sealed to the interment marker orstone by means of a silicone adhesive, the latter having acharacteristic of serving both as a sealing agent and also a resilientbonding agent.

The present invention relates to portrait devices for interment markerssuch as cemetery headstones, plates, and vaults and, more particularly,provides a new and improved portrait device which is hermetically andperipherally sealed, provides a transparent, ultraviolet-filter faceplate and colored background plate, and includes a securement adhesiveallowing for differences in coeflicients of thermal expansion of thematerials of the device and the structure with which it is associated aswell as sealing the device to the structure.

In the past, there has been a definite need of supplying for survivorsof a deceased person, genealogists, and other interested persons, ofactual portrait indicia devices which can be affixed to objects such astombstones. This would supply visual information and as to theappearance of the deceased. While cemetery markers customarily supplythe name and vital statistics of the individual involved. it would be ofgreat comfort, as well as be informative, for the individuals pictorialrepresentation to be included on the marker. Special photographic papersand printing proc esses have been developed to give prints andtransparencies substantial longevity. However, even present print papersare not immune to the destruction, brittlement, and deterioration ascaused by ultraviolet and blue-violet radiation emanating from the sunsrays.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved portrait device.

A further object is to provide a portrait device for cemetery markerssuch as tombstones, vaults, and so forth.

An additional object is to provide a portrait device which ishermetically sealed at its periphery.

An additional object is to provide a portrait device wherein an adhesiveis not needed to secure the layers of the device together.

An additional object is to provide a new and improved portrait deviceand adhesive combination wherein the 3,570,159 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 r'CC adhesive, by contact with the periphery of the device and the recessof the tombstone used, will preclude moisture from entering in behindthe device, thus sealing moisture out and yet allowing for a permanentbond of a flexible nature to allow for ambient temperature changes anddifferences in material as between the constituent portions of thedevice and the marker with which it is associated.

An additional object is to provide a new and improved portrait devicewherein the face plate thereof is both transparent and also serves as anultraviolet filter.

An additional object is to provide in a portrait device a transparentface attenuating light in the blue-violet region as well as eliminatingultraviolet passage through the face plate to a photographicrepresentation backing the face plate.

An additional object is to provide a portrait device wherein a sealedsandwich structure is used, a front transparent face serving as anultraviolet filter, a rear face serving as a background for theportrait, and the portrait contained therebetween.

A further object is to provide a method for hermetically sealing aportrait including sandwich structure together at its periphery.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cemetery marker incorporating thedevice of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation, principally in section, of the portrait deviceshown in FIG. 1 and illustrates the method by which the device may behermetically sealed at its circumferential periphery.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the portrait device of the invention,illustrating a likeness of the person whose portrait is contained withinthe sandwich portrait structure.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the transmissivity curve of the transparent,ultraviolet-filter face plate of the sandwich-construction portraitdevice.

In FIG. 1 interment marker 10 is shown to be provided with indicia 11identifying the deceased as to vital statistics. The marker 10 alsoincludes a recess aperture 12 into which is fixedly deposited a portraitdevice 13, further identifying the deceased. Portrait device 13 includesa photograph 14 backed by a background plate 15 and faced by atransparent face plate 16. Background plate 15, while color-coded to beblue, may be any desired background color so as to offer a color reliefor background to the portrait used. Face plate 16 is of a special character. It is not only transparent, but also is of a type to filter outoncoming ultraviolet radiation. It will be observed that despite themarked development in photographic print papers which has occurred inrecent years, all photographic print papers, to the inventors knowledge,are susceptible to deterioration in the presence of ultraviolet throughblue-violet radiation. By all means the face plate 16, the inventorshave found, should filter out at least 50% and preferably in excess ofof all oncoming ultraviolet radiation, i.e. 380 millimicrons wavelengthand shorter. Indeed, some slight damage may be caused to presentlymanufactured print papers by the presence of violet and blue-violetradiation in the 380-420 millimicron 3 region. Accordingly, theattenuation curve should break sharply downwardly proximate the upperend of this region.

The inventors have discovered a unique material known in the art asPlexiglas UF-l, which serves ideally as such an ultraviolet filter. Theterm ultraviolet filter shall be generically used herein to refer to alltransparent face plate materials which filter out ultraviolet light. Aspecific ultraviolet filter, as intended in the present invention,filters out in excess of 90% of all ultraviolet light shorter than 380millimicrons in wavelength, and further, filters out at least a portionof oncoming radiation in the violet and blue-violet region of 380-420millimicron wavelength.

Experimentation with such material as above described has revealed thatsuch material will retard substantially the onset of embrittlement andphysical deterioration of photographic exhibits where such deteriorationis caused mainly by ultraviolet radiation.

The transmissivity curve, see FIG. 4, of face plate 16 when fabricatedfrom Plexiglas UF-1 indicates satisfaction of the requirements ashereinabove set forth.

FIG. 2 illustrates a manner of construction of the device which ispreferred. In the invention it will be noted that no adhesive need beemployed in providing a hermetically sealed unit incorporating the novelface plate '16 as above described. FIG. 2' indicates an apparatus bywhich the method of the invention may be performed in fabricating thedevice. In the construction in FIG. 2, motor 17 includes an output shaft18 having pulley wheel 19' fixedly keyed thereto. Standard V-belt 20intercouples pulley 19 with pulley 21, the latter being keyed by key 22to shaft 23. Shaft 23 passes through a bushing 24 of upstanding support25. Shaft 23 is pinned by pin 26 to race 27 of thrust bearing 28. Theopposite race 29 is disposed securely against structure 25. Pressureplate 30 includes a central portion 31 which is spot welded or otherwisefixedly secured to shaft 23.

Pressure plate 34 includes a central portion 35 which is fixedly securedto shaft 36 in a conventional manner. Shaft 36 passed through bushing 37the latter of which is pressed into upstanding structure 38. The end 39of shaft 36 is turned down at 40 to serve as a spring guide for spring41. The latter is seated into seat 42 of spring housing 43. Housing 43may be secured as by welding or other conventional means to theupstanding structure 38. A thrust bearing 44 is included and providesfor the revolvement of shaft 36. Shaft 36 will respond to therevolvement of concentric shaft 23, the latter being driven throughV-belt by motor 17. A heating element 45 includes an I electricalcircuit 46 therewithin which is exteriorly powered through plug 47.Heating element 45 may be a copper or other heat conductor which isapplied to the periphery of device 13. If desired, a central shaft 48may be aflixed to heating element 45, with the shaft 48 being journaledby bushing 49 to base structure 50. The latter is welded at 51 orotherwise secured to base structure 52. A spring 53 is interposedbetween and engages base structure and heating element 45 so as tourgingly thrust the latter against the periphery of device 13.

In operation, the portrait device 13 is placed in a sandwichconstruction and is inserted between the two pressure plates 30 and 34.Spring 41 applies pressure to the sandwich construction of device 13,and motor 17, in causing shaft 23 to revolve, will revolve the device.13 and shaft 36 as well. Again, spring 41 compresses the sandwichstructure tightly together. The spring construction may be varied andthe pressure applied thereby or by equivalent means may be eitheruniform or of progressive, pressureincreasing nature. The equipment maybe modified to accommodate the materials desired.

As to the remaining components of device 13, background plate 15 mayalso be Plexiglas or other plastic material, is color-coded as blue asshown to provide a blue background, but may be any color, shade or hueas desired. The portrait is preferably cut at or near the outline of thehead or bust of the person represented, this so that the color of thebackground plate 15 surrounds the portrait.

During revolvement of device 13 about its central axis by motor 17, theheating element 45 is continuously applied to the periphery of thedevice and power supplied plug 47. In this manner the heating device 45heats and causes a fusion at the periphery of the device of the twoplates, namely background plate 15 and face plate 17. It will beobserved that the thickness of photograph 14 in FIG. 2 is exaggerated,and in practice will be very much thinner than that illustrated. Hence,there will be no problem in producing a complete lateral fusion of theperipheral surfaces of background plate 15 and face plate '16.Additionally, it will be noted that the heat supply eliminates thenecessity of an adhesive being used, and further, hermetically seals thestructure at the periphery and without chancing scorching of thephotograph at its edges. It is well known that Plexiglas, for example,is a good insulator relative to heat transmission. Sealing of the platesat their periphery chances substantially no possible damage to theenclosed photograph. The temperature of the heating element or heatingdevice 45 will be chosen to accommodate the plastic being used. WhilePlexiglas is desired for both plates, it is important to recognize thatother materials may be used equally as Well; but face plate 16 shouldserve as an ultraviolet filter.

To secure the portrait device to an interment marker such as a stone,see FIG. 1, it is important to use silicone adhesive about the peripheryof the device. Recommended is the silicone adhesive known to the tradeas General Electric Adhesive RTV108. Such adhesive, and this ischaracteristic of silicone adhesives in general, remain elastic andperform both as a sealing and as an adhesive to bond the plastic deviceto the stone. Customary manufacturers recommendations for primers, asrequired for certain contact surfaces, should be followed. In FIG. 1 theadhesive A is illustrated as aflixing the portrait device '13 to theinterment marker 10.

What is provided in the invention, therefore, is a sandwich structuredevice which by its nature serves ideally as a portrait device forinterment markers. Ultraviolet radiation from the suns rays are filteredout by the transparent face plate 16 of the device. A background layeris applied, not only to encase the structure, but also to supply abackground color for the enclosed portrait. The two plates arepreferably sealed together by a heating device, thereby providing for athermosealed, hermetically-sealed unit. This is preferably accomplishedthrough a peripheral heat scaling to fusion temperature of theperipheries of the backing plate and face plate incorporated in thedevice. The portrait device thus insures durability, satisfactoryviewability, and relative permanence.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing from thisinvention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in theappended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. An interment portrait device including, in combination, atransparent, ultraviolet-filter plastic face plate, a plastic backingplate, both of said plates having flat interior surfaces and congruentperipheries, and portrait means interposed between fiat interior surfaceof said face plate and said backing plate, said face plate beingthermopressure sealed solely at its outer periphery to said backingplate and encasing said portrait means therebetween.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said backing plate isdifferentiated in color from that of said portrait means, said backingplate being viewable through said face plate about said portrait means.

3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said face plate is composed ofmaterial having a light transmissivity curve characteristic fallingbelow 50% of full transmis- 311,724 2/ 1885 Crockett 4()124.5 sion inthe ultraviolet wavelength region at and below 466,074 '12/ 1891 Hunt40124.5 380 millimicrons. 955,720 4/ 1910 Thomas 40124.S

4. Structure according to claim 3 wherein said face 3,043,709 7/1962Amborski 3501X plate is composed of material having a lighttransmissivity curve characteristic falling from a percentage greaterthan 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 80% at 420 millirnicrons to a percentage lessthan 10% 306,684 2/1929 Great Britain 40--154 at 380 millimicrons.

R f C t d ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner e erences l e 10 .J.CONTRERA ,A UNITED STATES PATENTS W S Ssstant Exammer 1,946,033 2/1934Potter 40 124.5 U.S. c1. X.R. 3,438,159 4/1969 Bergener 40-124.5X40-1245

